I know what you're thinking. What do Klondike Bars have to do with astronomy in general and the AAVSO discussion group in particular? The short answer is nothing. The wonderful aspect of the internet is that it goes beyond country borders. The AAVSO discussion group is a forum for variable star observers all over the world, not just the United States. Therefore, it is inevitable that there will be words or phrases that elude some of the audience. In this case, it was a simple reference to what I was soon to discover is an American-only product: the Klondike Bar.
The original posting concerning "Klondike" was on August 19, 1997. It was by Peter Guilbault - a.k.a. international trouble maker ;) - in response to a Dave Sworin posting asking about unofficial awards for top observers. It might have died right there, but another known trouble maker (a.k.a. - me) fueled the fire by making reference to it. Here's how it unfolded:
Dave Sworin: << While every observer probably glances at the observation totals to see how they did compared to everybody else, I was wondering if in the past there has ever been either official or informal competition among observers either for prizes or honor? >>
Dave,
I suggest the top prize be a one year supply of chocolate Klondike bars. That should be motivation enough for at least one VSO'er I know well.
Pete
GPR
On Aug. 24th, my response:
In summary, it seems to me that with enough other numbers available, it might be easy to ignore the "total observations" or to simply lower it's significance. I feel by utilizing other measures we could encourage better work by our observers. The idea of a competition is unwise no matter what the measure because pure numbers will not give us the quality of the work.
Indeed, any real competition would probably invite sloppy work.
Clear skies,
Gene Hanson (HSG)
P.S. But if there is competition, Pete, I want you to know that I prefer the vanilla Klondike bars!
Gary Poyner on Aug. 24th, then asks the fateful question:
OK, I just have to ask. What's a Klondike bar?
PYG
On Aug. 25, Jerry Mckenna responds:
to PYG (Gary Poyner)
A Klondike bar is a chocolate covered ice cream bar, it is square and it does not have the more traditional stick.
It is thicker than the traditional ice-cream on a stick. It's chocolate coating is just a bit thicker than the stick kind.
I prefer the vanilla so who's buying?
(this is not a paid advertisement)
Jerry (MKJ)
Later that day, Pete (who started all of this- I, of course, accept no responsibility) writes:
Gary,
Although they are hard to find, I should add that here in Rhode Island Klondikes are also available in coffee flavor which are highly recommended. I know of one observer who swears he can see at least a half mag fainter after eating one... Honest!
Pete
GPR
John Isles (unsuccessfully) tries to restore order:
Never mind the Klondike bars, some of us need to get more active and lose some weight, so please can we have a complete listing of the orphan Miras we should be observing?
Marv Baldwin does not help and further confuses the issue.
Gary:
It's an Alaskan bar closely related to the kodiak bar.
Marv Baldwin
Now the fate of Klondike is sealed when Elizabeth Waagen, a long time staff member of the AAVSO, gives it HQ's seal of approval:
Gary -
Here in Boston, Klondike bars have been seen in the stores with vanilla, chocolate, or coffee ice cream, and with chocolate,
chocolate-with-crispy-rice-bits, chocolate-with-slivered-almonds, or chocolate-peanut-butter coatings. The traditional, however, is vanilla ice cream and plain chocolate coating...
Aren't you sorry you asked?
Elizabeth Waagen
Dave Sworin added a cute story:
Dear AAVSO Discussion,
<Here is some variable star fiction for your enjoyment related to a recent discussion topic. -Dave>
The True Story of Suzy Starlight and Cy Aquarii
Suzy pushed the nose of the 8192 x 8192 pixel CCD camera into the automatic filter wheel and tightened the thumb screw. Suzy, IAVSO observer initials SUZST, and Cy, IAVSO observer initials CYAQ, were setting up side by side in their backyard, anxiously awaiting the end of evening twilight. Cy turned on the clipboard computer and looked at the clock on the screen. The clock showed 9:34PM Saturday, June 14, 2021.
.
.
.
Suzy got up to go into the house for a moment. Cy called out just as Suzy stepped up on the back porch, "Hey, Honey, bring me one of those Klondike bars from the freezer!" Ah, Suzy thought, some things never change, no matter how hard you try. Didn't the doctor tell Cy just last week, to cut down on dessert? Oh, well, it's such a good night, why spoil it.
SDX
Dave Sworin
Tim Hager wrote for his VSO Annual report:
6. Improvements You Made
Klondike bars at the telescope for that quick sugar rush when you're getting tired.
By the holidays of that year, there were still more references:
We have enjoyed knowing you on line. We wish you happy holidays: may your computer escape viruses, may your telescope never break down, may the dark of the moon match the lulls in your job, may you outfox the clouds more often than they outfox you, and may your supply of Klondike Bars and strong coffee never fail.
Clear skies,
Jerry and Elfriede
Almost back to the original topic that started all this, Dave Sworin makes a comical posting about issuing VSOing "baseball" cards, which Pete brings back the Klondike reference:
Dave: << On the other hand, perhaps we could gets Topps to produce a set of baseball-like cards for the entire AAVSO team, a collector's set no less, which listed each observers statistics in gory detail on the back... >>
Sounds great Dave! What I'm most interested in is the prize in each pack. Forget the bubblegum... when I get my first "Gene Hanson" set I expect a Klondike inside :-)
... Pete
Tim Hager, in response to the same posting. This must be my absolute favorite posting to the AAVSO group.
Dave: << On the other hand, perhaps we could gets Topps to produce a set of baseball-like cards for the entire AAVSO team, a collector's set no less, which listed each observers statistics in gory detail on the back... >>
This is one of the better ideas I've seen lately! I like the "lifelike" poses that appear on these trading cards. A baseball slugger usually is posed with his bat cocked ready to swat a fastball over the wall.
Let's see, we can have Bortle with two telescopes - one eye looking through one at a comet the other looking at SS Cyg. We can have Guilbault with cigar smoke rising out of his tube. I can be seen falling off of my step ladder - Klondike in hand. Sworin can have a stopwatch in his hand to see if he can shave a fraction of a second off of that eyepiece change. Lowder poised with binoculars at the ready surrounded by stacks and stacks of unreported observations. Poyner filling out one of his famous "Haze, clouds, moon" VSNET reports followed by a string of 15.5 observations!
The possibilities are almost endless! :)
Tim (HTY)
Another reference to both myself and the Klondike Bar (guilt by association):
It was a great trip, and Doug & I hope to do it again soon. I'd like to thank Gene Hanson for reassuring me about the weather (and El Nino) down in that neck of the woods prior to my departure. Oh, and for anyone thinking about visiting the Inn, they only have Oreos, no Klondike bars.
:))
Walter MacDonald [MDW]
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.
Dave Sworin wrote about what we all do about the cold:
4. Do the telescopes which track stars still track well in cold weather? Don't the batteries run out quickly?
5. What do you wear when it is really cold?
6. What is the best thing to eat & drink when it is cold, to help keep you warm? Not Klondike bars, I presume!
In response to the cold thread:
Observing attire along the coast? A down vest and, by all means, a knitted cap (toboggin) are about all that's necessary to keep warm; well yes, trousers instead of shorts, unlike John in Hawaii. A thermos of hot coffee and doughnut holes are my preferred observing snacks--maybe a Klondike bar for summer sessions.
Let's end this with Dave Sworin:
I think this approach would benefit all the types of variable star observing. The awards below are not real suggestions, just illustrations. I left the Klondike Bar Award off the list because I just couldn't decide how many is enough. Of course, the nice thing about numbers being their objectiveness. The Director's Award is a way of adding other types of recognition too, but the requirements are not explicitly stated for members to set as personal goals.
Novice Award
100 Consecutive Observations reported to Headquarters without a serious error.
Pass Novice Exam which includes (Administered Online)
Correct Julian Date Calculations
Questions about types of variables
Questions about Observing Techniques
The Peltier Award
100,000 Observations
+/-0.2 Magnitudes Standard Deviation relative to shifted
Mean Light Curve for randomly selected stars.
Less Than 0.1% Errors In Reports
80% Observations reported to Headquarters by the 5th of the month.
Technical VSO Paper Published in JAAVSO
Served as AAVSO Committee Chairman for 3 years.
SDX
Dave Sworin
To end this, I'll repeat what AAVSO HQ had to say: Aren't you sorry you asked? :)